Support wind turbine commission

Posted
Sunday, July 14, 2013 10:26 pm

Letter to the Editor

Monday July 15, 2013

To the editor of THE EAGLE:

Too often our elected officials are criticized for not adequately responding to the needs of their constituents, so we would like to congratulate State Rep. "Smitty" Pignatelli (D-4th Berkshire District) for co-sponsoring bills introduced last week calling for the establishment of a commission to study the growing and often consequential health impacts of industrial wind turbines.

Based on the documents, lawsuits, curtailment of turbine use, and complaints from hundreds of New England residents living near wind turbines there is ample evidence the health impacts attributed to them are real. Massachusetts towns such as Florida, Monroe, Bourne, Lanesborough, Dartmouth, Dennis, Hingham, Hanover, Princeton, Kingston, Milton, Orleans, Plymouth, Stoughton and Wellfleet are or soon could be negatively affected and are receiving complaints.

Only through an independent commission that includes public health officials and scientists fully qualified to neutrally and factually review medical studies relating to turbines near residences, work places, hospitals and schools, with the ability to do its own in-depth investigations, should elected officials in any community be empowered to make decisions regarding the siting of wind turbines.

The wind turbine industry is not interested in studies that could negatively impact its business, so it can be expected to fight the bills tooth and nail. May fair-minded citizens encourage Rep. Pignatelli and other legislators to push hard for the passage of these bills because nothing less than the health and well-being of our communities is at stake.

Towns that are considering wind turbines should put their decisions on hold until the commission’s report is completed.

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